1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a restraining device for use in performing a spinal tap or lumbar puncture procedure and in particular to a garment-like restraint for engaging predetermined portions of a subject's body and securely immobilizing the subjects body in a forwardly arched position, the back of the subject being exposed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The lumbar puncture procedure, more commonly refered to as a "spinal tap" and in which a small sample of spinal fluid is taken from the patient is a valuable diagnostic test procedure. This procedure is, however, painful. Simultaneously, during the performance of this procedure it is essential that the patient remain quite still. This is to avoid injury to the patient by reason of a bent or broken needle caused in turn by movement of a patient during the procedure, and to obviate a traumatic tap and the drawing of a bloody test sample which can render the test of little or no value.
Since a local anesthetic is rarely used, the difficulties in performing this procedure are further compounded when the procedure is performed on pediatric patients. It is therefore, necessary to have a nurse or other trained personnel present during the performance of the procedure to physically maintain the patient in a proper and essentially immobile position. Such a method is not entirely effective do to the quickness, strength, and unexpected movements of the pediatric patient. Correspondingly, use of trained personnel to physically restrain pediatric patients requires not only the presence of an additional person, it is also less than totally effective.
It has been proposed to provide a padiatric restraining device for securely holding the pediatric patient immobile during the spinal tap procedure. Such a device, for example, is manufactured by Olympic Medical Corp. 4400 7th South, Seattle Washington and is called an L P seat. This device includes a seat, rigid frames, and a mechanical harness. The device further holds the pediatric patient in an upright position during the procedure, this position not being desirable during the performance of this procedure, (a horizontal position being preferred).
There is, therefore, a need for a simple yet effective restraining device which may manufactured of a flexible material such as fabric, reinforced paper or plastic.